Improvement in cork-extractors



L. O. MUMFORD. Cork-Extractor.

No. 212,863. Patented Mar. 4,1879.

frwenibr i 0% fl w N. PEIERS, PHOTOUTHOGRAPHVER. WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

LUCIAN C. MUMFORD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO HENRY A. MEAD, OF SAME PLACE.

. IMPROVEMENT lN CORK-EXTRACTORS.

.Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,863, dated March 4, 1879 application filed December 9, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUOIAN C. MUMFORD, of the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented an Improved Cork-Extractor; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this specification, and forming a part of the same.

My invention has reference to an improved implement for drawing corks out of bottles; and it consists of two prongs or blades, which are so arranged as to be inserted into the mouth of the bottle on opposite sides of the cork, and which can be pressed together upon the cork, so as to clamp it between them. The cork is then drawn by turning it and drawing upon it at the same time.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing mannor of extracting cork. Fig. 2 is a vertical section.

Let a I) represent two thin metallic blades, each of which is attached to or formed upon the end of a handle or bar, C.

In the present instance I have represented two bars, C, which are connected together at the end opposite the points or blades by a sliding connection, as hereinafter described 5 stead.

As here represented, each bar has a bent portion, d, at the end opposite the blades, and these bent ends overlap each other.

One portion has a slot, 0, in it, and a pin,f, on the other portion passes through the slot, so that the two handle-bars can be pressed together with a parallel motion.

A spring, which is composed in the present instance of two semi-elliptic springs, g g, placed between the bars C, back to back, in which position they are riveted together, is used to separate the handle-bars. of each semi-elliptic spring is then secured to each bar, so that the springs act conjointly; but other styles of springs can be used, or the springs could be dispensed with entirely, if preferred.

The blades a b are thin narrow strips of metal pointed at their ends.

I prefer to sharpen or bevel one edge of each blade, similar to the blade of a knife, leaving one edge thin and the other thick.

One end When this is done I sharpen one blade in one direction and the other in the opposite direction, as shown.

To draw a cork with this implement, I insort the points of the blades between the cork and inside'of the neck of the bottle on opposite sides of the cork, and press them down until the cork is fairly caught between them. I then press them together upon the cork and turn them in the direction of the backs of the blades. This loosens the cork, and it is easily drawn from the neck of the bottle whileit is being turned.

The blades could be jointed to the handlebars, so as to be shut like the blades of a knife when they are not required for use.

Various devices could be used for adjusting the blades to and from each other to accommodate different sizes of corks, but they would only be equivalent to thearrangemcnt shown herewith.

The chief advantage of this cork-extractor is, that it does not mar or injure the cork like a cork-screw, but leaves itiu a condition to be used over and over again; besides, the cork is drawn much easier and with less liability of spilling the contents of the bottle, as it is drawn gradually and steadily instead of with l I a sudden jerk. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A cork-puller consisting of two thin blades, to b, arranged to be inserted on oppo site sides of the cork, so as to clamp it between them and draw it by turning it gradually out of the bottle, substantially as above specified.

2. The blades a I), attached to handle-bars C, which are connected together so as to have a parallel motion, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The blades a I), pointed at their extremities and sharpened on opposite sides, in combination with a handle, C C, which admits of said blades being pressed together upon the cork, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

In witness whereof I hereunto attach my hand and seal.

LUCIAN C. MUMFORD.

Vitnesses C. H. STOMLY, H. M. (Jr-men. 

